Modulars

Modular Construction

You may be thinking, what is a modular home? Modular homes are houses that are divided into multiple modules or sections which are manufactured in a remote facility and then delivered to their intended site of use. The modules are assembled into a single residential building using either a crane or trucks.
Typically, modular dwellings are built to local state or council code, so dwellings built in a given manufacturing facility will have differing construction standards depending on the final destination of the modules. Steel and/or wood framing are common options for building a modular home. Modular home designs can be customized for local zoning codes. For example, homes built for final assembly in a hurricane prone area can have additional bracing built-in to meet local building codes.
Modular homes are generally designed to be stronger than traditional homes by, for example, replacing nails with screws and adding glue to joints. This is supposed to help the modules maintain their structural integrity as they are transported on trucks to the construction site.

Q: What is the difference between a Modular Building/Home and a H.U.D. Code Home?A:On the surface, modular homes may seem very similar to those known as “H.U.D. Code” homes. There are, however, distinct differences between the two types of housing.
The primary difference is that H.U.D. Code homes are built to the federal H.U.D. code. This code encompasses all states of the United States and the homes are subject to federal inspection and approval. H.U.D. Code homes can only be single family residences. Modular buildings however are built using the same building codes that are recognized by local building jurisdictions.
On the other hand, modular units are built to the building codes that have jurisdiction for the particular state in which the modular unit is destined. For example, in some Southern states, the International Building Code (IBC) is enforced. Therefore, the modular buildings constructed for these states must comply with this code. It is important to note that these are the same codes utilized by the Contractors who site build their structures. Modular construction (unlike H.U.D.) includes occupancies other than Residential (IE: Assembly, Educational, Mercantile, and Business).
It is also important to note that Modular construction is not categorized by Windzones as is done for H.U.D. code construction. Instead, modular construction is produced according to specific windspeeds.
The actual required windspeed for an area should be obtained from the local building official prior to construction. Horton Industries currently builds it's modulars to a maximum windspeed of 130 mph (Using IBC guidelines).

Q: What is the difference between an "on frame" and "off frame" modular?A: Horton modulars can be built so that the transport chassis (frame) will remain as an integral part of the floor system or it can be removed and the home placed on a perimeter foundation. Some states require that single family homes be lifted from their chassis thus making them "off frame" modulars. It is important to check with the local building official prior to ordering your building to verify any requirements they may have regarding "on frame" and "off frame" modulars.